When Michelle Bachmann speaks, people don't just listen, they gape

[babylonsister]

Run time: 05:13 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQRmiWuwe2Y   Posted on YouTube: March 24, 2009 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: March 24, 2009 By DU Member: babylonsister Views on DU: 2432

 
http://www.salon.com/tech/htww/2009/03/24/bachmann_and_the_constitution/

Michele Bachmann: Constitutional scholar

(UPDATE: This post was updated to reflect the exact language in the transcript of the commitee hearing.)

When Michelle Bachmann speaks, people don't just listen, they gape. The Republican from Minnesota, famous for, among other things, bemoaning Barack Obama's "final leap to socialism" and demanding McCarthy-esque witch hunts of "anti-American" politicians," got her five minutes of time during Tuesday's House Financial Services committee hearing on AIG, and she did not disappoint.

Glowering at Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner as if she was Thulsa Doom preparing to behead Conan the Barbarian, Bachmann posed her question.

BACHMANN: What provision in the Constitution could you point to to give authority for the actions that have been taken by the Treasury since March of '08?

GEITHNER: Oh, well, the -- the Congress legislated in the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act a range of very important new authorities.

BACHMANN: Sir, in the Constitution. What -- what in the Constitution could you point to to -- to give authority to the Treasury for the extraordinary actions that have been taken?

GEITHNER: Every action that the Treasury and the Fed and the FDIC is -- is -- has been using authority granted by this body -- by this body, the Congress.

BACHMANN: And by -- in the Constitution, what could you point to?

GEITHNER: Under the laws of the land, of course.

Perhaps this is unkind, but Bachmann didn't seem to appreciate that Congress' power to legislate is in the Constitution.

Bachmann followed this line of questioning with a reference to a Wall Street Journal article, reporting China's call "for the creation of a new currency to eventually replace the dollar as the world's standard."

more...

[geardaddy]

1. Bookmarking to watch at home.

Why is she still in Congress?

[Somawas]

8. Because the voters in MN elected her stupid ass.

[geardaddy]

9. Sorry. I didn't

My rep is Keith Ellison.

[tomm2thumbs]

12. i hope they re-elect her AND the GOP puts her on their 'Candidate for Prez' list

It would be a tremendous boost to their crash-and-burn quotient and give us another 4 years of intensely fun pleasure to watch at the GOP shoots itself in it's OTHER foot.

[Somawas]

22. That is an all-around meritorious proposal.

[rpannier]

16. The majority of voters of her district in Minnesota elected her

Don't lay this on the whole state

[DJ13]

2. "I'm wondering would you categorically renounce the United States moving away from the dollar"

:wtf:
:rofl:

[Idealism]

3. Barney Frank tell's her to sit down and stfu at the end lol

[jhrobbins]

15. Don't you know she had some choice words about Barney Frank

when she got back to her lair. I bet she was calling him a bunch if dried kindling sticks.

[Zenlitened]

4. Jeez. I didn't think anybody or anything could make me feel sympathetic...

... toward Ben Bernanke.

But that Bachmann child just ain't right in the head.

Squirm-inducing creepy.

:wow:

[Twinguard]

5. Did anyone else notice

at 1:52 she says

"...both China, Russia, and "ka-zacka-stan"..."

If you are going to mention Kazakhstan, learn to pronounce it correctly. It's not that tough.
Also, the word "both" refers to two of something, not three.

Idiot.

[rpannier]

17. Maybe she's in the McCain mindset

McCain still thinks there's a Czechoslovakia

Maybe she's still thinking Kazakhstan is part of the Soviet Union/Russia

[HerbieHeadhunter]

6. Answer - "Article One...

What is your next stupid question, Congresswoman?"

[vinylsolution]

7. Keep Bachmann and Palin in the spotlight....

.... and 2012 is in the bag. Landslide re-election for Obama / Biden!

[JoePhilly]

10. You notice that Bachmann was wearing Palin glasses in this video??

[tomm2thumbs]

11. she really like to finger that microphone

and I don't think it is in a 'cigarette' sorta way

[JBoy]

13. At 1:53 she invents a new country: Kazzackistan.

[syrius]

14. Mouth open, trying to breathe...

I think she wants us to buy Liberty Dollars.

[JHB]

18. She's fishing for "red meat" ...

...to feed to her wingnut base.

[Snotcicles]

19. Never thought I could feel sorry for a whole state, but Minnesota you have my sympathy. nt

[Piewhacket]

20. OMG. She needs a hook up with Joe the Plumber. or maybe just...

a little more lithium in her diet?

[beyurslf]

21. Man is she dumb. Does she think that everything that anyone in government does

has to be written directly in the Constitution? I loved the end too!

[Mnpaul]

23. March of '08?

Geithner wasn't in charge of the treasury in March 2008. This fool doesn't even know what year it is.

BTW she voted for the original bailout plan in 2008

[burning rain]

24. She's as mad as a hatter.

I mean, she's Jim Robinson-probably-fantasizes-about-her crazy. There ought to be a line of political action figures. Bachmann's "special action" would simply be spewing crazy shit.